GREat Oaks Reads

Smart Reads for Smart Students

Month: June 2015

If you are applying for admission in fall 2016 the clock has begun to tick. So, don’t delay. Review this Application Timeline for Fall 2016 immediately and get to work.

June 2015

Review your goals for your MS in US and choose some specific areas in which you would like to specialize.

July 2015

Begin preparation for the GRE/TOEFL tests

Register for the GRE and TOEFL examinations – if you are targeting the top 10 or 15 universities, you should take these examinations preferably by September 2015. If you are targeting other universities, you may take these exams by 20 December 2015 so you can meet the deadlines of universities which are in December 2015.

Register for the Subject GRE – important for doctoral programs in pure sciences and biological sciences in top schools.

Note: the exam is held once in a year in November, however, seats usually get filled up by August.

August-September 2015

Make a preliminary list of about 30 universities which meet your requirements considering:

Job Prospects – according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) 11,600 jobs will be generated for mechanical engineers in the United States by 2022 (the unemployment rate in the field is just 2.7%)

Employment Growth Rate – the BLS also predicts that employment in the field is expected to grow by 4.5 percent between 2012 and 2022

Salaries – the median salary is $80,500 with the worst-paid earning $52,580 and the best-paid earned $123,340.

Job Satisfaction – upward mobility in mechanical engineering jobs in America is high, flexibility is above average and stress levels are about average

What the Work is Like – many mechanical engineers work out of an office on a 9-5 schedule but if your job demands it you may visit sites like oil rigs or skyscrapers